Method of making upholstery



May 12, 194-2. R R" 2,282,425

METHOD OF MAKING UPHOLSTERY Original Filed March 27, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.

INVENTOR.

JOHN R. MILLAR BY Wm,

ATTORNEYS J. R. MILLAR METHOD OF MAKINGUPHOLSTERY May 12, 1942.

Original Filed March 2'7, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN R. MILLAR BY W r ATTORNEYS May 12, 1942. J. R. MILLAR 2,282,425

METHOD OF MAKING UPHOLSTERY Original Filed March 27, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 54 JOHN R. MILLAR' I6 I BY it M e Q 9 ATTORNEYS Patented May 12, 1942 Ui'i'E ST ear METHOD OF MAKING UPHOLSTERY John R. Millar, Reno, Nev., assignor to National Automotive Fibres, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to upholstery material and more particularly to the novel method of making decorated padded upholstery material, and is a division of my prior copending application Serial No. 264,476, entitled Upholstery, filed March 27, 1939.

In the past it has been proposed to form upholstery material by a continuous process in which individual precut upholstery fabric covers are combined with padding material and sheeting and are sewed along lines parallel to the advance of the assembly. Certain disadvantages of upholstery material made by this method have long been recognized. In the first place the method just described is far from flexible and it is impossible to apply any substantial amount of decoration to the completed product. In the second place the sewing of the seams referred to tends to weaken the fabric, and it has been found that oftentimes the sewed upholstery becomes useless due to tearing at the seams long before the fabric itself exhibits substantial wear. It has also been found that the sewing of the seams is not entirely satisfactory for the reason that threads employed break either in the sewing operation or in subsequent use.

It has been proposed to substitute a vulcanized seam for a sewed seam. The vulcanized seam offers a number of substantial advantages over the sewed seam referred to. In the first place, the cloth is not weakened by sewing. In the second place, it has been found that the seam resulting from vulcanization of the upholstery material to sheeting is substantially permanent and in fact will outlast portions of the cushion not included in the vulcanized area. More important, it has been found that by employing a vulcanized seam of substantial width it is possible to combine decoration with the completed upholstery material. This decoration may take the form of straight beads, circular beads, or in fact any arbitrary or fanciful design which is desired.

In order to manufacture upholstery material by providing a vulcanized bond between sheeting and the upholstery fabric, it is desirable to positively exclude the introduction of padding material, such as cotton or the like, between the cover fabric and the sheeting throughout the zone of vulcanization. In the present disclosed method this is accomplished by the provision of spaced plates over which the assembly advances, the plates serving to hold the padding material apart until pressure means may be applied to bring the upholstery material and the sheeting into abutting relation with a strip of rubber.

With the foregoing somewhat general description in mind, it is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a novel method for continuously manufacturing a vulcanized decorated upholstered material.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel method for positively preventing appearance of padding material between the sheeting or the upholstery material and the Y strip of rubber.

the apparatus employed in the continuous manufacture of upholstery material;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the complete assembly of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the mechanism for restraining padding material;

Figure 4 is a section on the line b-A, Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5, Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-45, Figure 3;

Figure '7 is a section on the line 'l--l, Figure 3; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating upholstery material made according to the present disclosure.

Referring briefly to Figure 2 which illustrates the complete layout of apparatus employed, I have illustrated at H3 a casing having a surmounting table It on which precut cover fabrics are positioned by the operator or over which a continuous cover fabric may be advanced if desired. A casing 30 is next provided which is associated with forming means subsequently to be described. At this station the upholstery material is formed over ridges to provide pleat fullness for subsequent operation.

A third casing 50 is located at a station where the formed upholstery fabric is brought into contact with a sheet or a plurality of batts of padding material and is further brought into contact with the strip of uncured rubber and an uppermost ply of batting.

The assembly, when it passes the casing 50, advances next to a continuous vulcanizing unit 10 where the'cover' fabric and the sheeting are permanently bonded along lines corresponding to seams of conventional pleated upholstery material. If desired, a final station 91! may be employed for performing a final sewing operation. This last station and its function may be omitted if desired.

Figures 1A, 1B and 1C are enlarged views of the apparatus illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 2 In Figure 1A the casing I is provided with a foraminous belt I l which is adapted to pass over a suction box 12 associated with suitable suction producing means connected to a conduit I3. The arrangement is such that as the upholstery fabric is advanced by the belt II it is firmly retained against displacement by the suction means referred to. Partly supported by the frame of the casing H3 is a table M on which the operator positions individual precut cover fabrics, if such are employed. A support l5 may be provided for the convenience of the operator upon which are located a supply of individual cover fabrics indicated at i6. Apusher assembly indicated at H is carried by the casing l0 and is adapted to advance accurately positioned fabric [6 into closely contiguous relation to the preceding cover fabric. For this purpose a plurality of resilient pusher elements l8 are provided which are adapted to engage fabrics 16 upon movement of pusher assembly I! to the right of Figure 1A.

The details of the mechanism for actuating the pusher assembly form no part of the present invention. It is sufiicient to say here that the arrangement is such that the operator is given a substantial interval of time to accurately position a cover fabric l6 relative to suitable markers or guides carried by the table l4. During this interval the preceding cover fabric is slowly advanced by the foraminous belt II in timed relation. The pusher assembly I! moves to the right to quickly advance the cover fabric Hi to close position behind the preceding cover fabric.

In Figure IE I have illustrated in somewhat enlarged scale a casing 30 which carries a foraminous belt 3|, a suction box 32 which is connected to a suitable suction supply source, such as a conduit 33 or the like. is such that as the cover fabrics are advanced by the belt 3| they are firmly retained against casual or accidental displacement.

At this station a plurality of forming bars 34 are pro ided. Suitable actuating mechanism 36 which forms no part of the present invention is provided to control motion of the forming bars 34. The relationship of parts is such that in timed relation to the advance of the upholstery material the ng bars 34 are moved vertically downward to form the upholstery material over ridge members 35. As will be evident, formation of the fabric over these ridge members by the forming bars 34 provides a predetermined amount of fullness in the upholstery fabric for a purpose which will presently be described. The specific mechanism for performing this operation may be of any suitable type, that indicated in the drawings being of the type fully disclosed in Mitchell Patent 1,996,728, and accordingly not i fully described herein. Preferably the forming bars 34 after being moved vertically downward are advanced to the right at the same rate as the advancing upholstery material for a pre determined distance. They are then raised to a position to clear the upholstery material and return to their initial position.

The next operation is performed at the station '50 indicated in part in Figures 1B and 10. At this station a third foraminous belt 51' is pro- The arrangement vided and is associated with an upwardly open suction box 52 connected to a suitable source of suction as by the conduit 53 or the like. Again the arrangement is such that the advanced upholstery material is firmly retained against casual or accidental displacement.

Referring more particularly now to Figure 10, the upholstery material I6 is now brought into association with a padding material 54, such as cotton, strips of uncured rubber 55, and a continuous web of sheeting 56.

The fibrous padding material is preferably in the form of individual substantially cylindrical batts of cotton which are led downwardly over a roller 51 and an apron 58 into contact with the upholstery material. The arrangement is such that one or more batts of cotton is led into accurate registering relation with the pleat fullness provided by the forming bars 34 previously referred to. As will be understood one or more batts of cotton may be necessary to fill the pipe, depending upon the lateral spacing of the seams.

As will be subsequently described in detail, mechanism is provided for positively preventing the batting material 54 from encroaching upon the rubberous material 55. Preferably the fibrous material 58 passes through a breaker comprising a pair of breaker rolls 59 and 6!). Suitable automatic mechanism is provided for timing operation of the breaker mechanism, and rotation of the rolls 59 is interrupted momentarily while the rolls 69 continue to rotate. This breaks the cotton batts intermediate the rolls '59 and 60 and rotation of the rolls 59 is delayed for an interval corresponding to the spacing between adjacent cover fabric. This not only serves to sever the padding material intermediate adjacent cushions, which would otherwise have to be performed as a separate operation, but also serves the separate function of efiecting a substantial saving in padding material.

The strips of rubber are led from a roll iii to a point intermediate the upholstery fabric 56 and the continuous strip of sheeting 56. As previously stated, the fibrous material is definitely excluded from encroaching upon the rubber at this time.

From this station the assembly advances to the continuous vulcanizing unit 10 which comprises a rotating drum H over which the assembly is adapted to advance. The drum H is provided with heating means which may take any convenient form, such for example as electric resistance elements. As will be apparent from a consideration of Figure 1C, the upholstery assembly is brought into contact with the rotating drum 7! such that the sheeting 56 directly contacts the drum. The outermost surface of the upholstery material at this time is the upholstery fabric I6. I

In order to provide a firm vulcanized bond between the sheeting and the fabric and to simultaneously impart a decorative effect along the vulcanized zone, I employ a forming band 12 which is adapted to engage the outer or dress face of the fabric. Suitable means (not shown) are provided for applying a predetermined tension to the band T2. As will be apparent, the band 12 may take many forms. If, for example, it is desired to impart straight beads as a form of decoration to the vulcanized zone, the band or bands 72 may be straight metal bands. If however, it is desired to impart an arbitrary or fanciful decorative effect of the type indicated in Figure 8,

the band 12 will be correspondingly formed. In the latter case it is often found desirable to reduce the tension on the forming band 12 to a minimum, in which case it is sometimes necessary to provide additional pressure by means of a second pressure band 13. The band 13 will normally be of metal and of sufficient strength to withstand relatively high tension. The band 12 and 13 are guided around suitable rollers 14 and, as will be evident, advance in accurately timed relation with the drum 1 l The action of the forming band or forming and pressure band, if used, at this time may well be described. The strip of rubber 55, which is uncoated on both sides, is brought into direct contact with the upholstery material It and the sheeting 5B. The rubber is preferably of excellent quality and a quick curing rubber. When the assembly comes into contact with the heated drum H the rubber initially is soft. The forming band i2 applies pressure to the dress face of the upholstery fabric, the pressure being sufficient to deform the rubber. Thus for example, if the forming band 12 is in the form of a straight unmodified continuous band, the rubber will be deformed from beneath the band to provide a straight groove having at the side thereof an upstanding rubber riser formed of rubber displaced from beneath the forming bar.

In the event that an arbitrary design, such as indicated in Figure 8 is employed, the rubber will be displaced from beneath imperforate portions of the forming band into spaces underlying perforations therein and will also be displaced laterally to form upstanding ridges at the sides of the band.

The drum H is rotated at a speed sufiicient to cause substantially complete vulcanization of the rubber strip 55 during its contact with the drum II. This will also depend upon the characteristics of the rubber and on the temperature available on the drum. Due to the fact that pressure is simultaneously applied, the bond between the sheeting and the fabric l6 formed by the vulcanization of the thin rubber strip 55 is exceptionally firm. It has been found in tests that the vulcanized bond is of sumcient strength such that rupture of the fabric precedes destruction of the bond. It has furthermore been found that the bond resulting from this vulcanization is substantially permanent and further is unaffected by moisture or cleaning fluids common in use.

A stripping blade '55 is provided which is adapted to insure separation of the vulcanized upholstery material from the drum, and suitable guiding means i8 are arranged to lead the upholstery material around the upper left-hand roller M. The upholstery material then advance-s with the bands 12 and 13 to the upper righthand roll 74 at which time it passes downwardly over an apron T6 to the sewing mechanism in dicated generally at 95.

It is to be understood that if desired this upholstery material as it leaves the vulcanizing station It) is completed. The bond imparted, as previously stated, is not only substantially stronger than previously known sewed bonds but further adds a highly desirable decorative effect to the upholstery material as a whole.

In some instances, however, it may be desirable to supplement the vulcanized bond with a sewed seam, The sewed seam may cooperate with the vulcanized bond to create a novel, decorative effect. It also may cooperate therewith to form that the vulcanized bond is itself stronger than the sewed seam. However, the vulcanized bond in combination with the sewed seams exhibits difierent characteristics. In the first place, the vulcanized bond is characterized by its flexibility, and in some instances the rubber forming the bond may supplement the sewed seam, preventing undue strain upon the seam and further preventing failure of the seam as a whole upon breakage of the sewing thread.

At all events, if it is desirable to supplement the vulcanized seam with the sewed seam, the mechanism indicated at in Figure 1C may be employed. The casing 90 is provided with a foraminous belt 9| which is adapted to cooperate with an open top suction box 92 connected by a conduit t3 with a suitable source of suction. The arrangement is such that the upholstery material as it is advanced by the foraminous belt Si is firmly retained against accidental displacement relative thereto. This is particularly important at this point for the reason that the decoration is now permanently imparted to the upholstery'material, and in order to obtain a pleasing effect it is essential that the sewed seam shall be definitely located with respect to the vulcanized seam and decorative design. Preferably the sewed seam and the decorative design will be arranged symmetrically, but this, of course, is a matter of design. A plurality of sewing heads indicated generally at 94 are positioned to sew seams in the advancing upholstery fabric. Sewing heads 94 are preferably laterally adjustable and may be clamped in desired position. In some instances it may be desirable to provide guides indicated generally at for receiving the vulcanized design and for guiding it in accurately located relation past sewing heads 94. The exact arrangement of the guides 95 will depend upon the character of the decorated vulcanized design. For example, where the vulcanized design comprises a pair of spaced parallel upstanding beads, the guides 55 will have correspondingly formed recesses to receive the beads. Preferably these recesses will be flared in the direction from which the upholstery material advances so as to permit positioning of the decorated design definitely relative to the sewing heads.

The operation of my apparatus and the methad has now been described from start to finish and it remains only to describe in detail the mechanism which I employ to insure positive separation of the padding material at the point where the rubber strips 55 are brought into contact with the sheeting 5B and the upholstery material 55.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 3, I have illustrated the breaker rolls 59 and 60 as carried by a suitable frame element 62. The fibrous padding material 54 passes downwardly between a pair of rolls 59 and 50 as previously described. The block 52 at its lower portion is provided with a channel or recess 53, best seen in Figure '7, guidingly receiving the strip 55 of rubber. The sheeting 56 passes over the upper surface of the lower end of the block 62. Secured to or integral with the lower end of the block 62 I provide a pair of forwardly extending plates 64 which are well illustrated in the sectional views of Figures 4 and 5.

A roller 55 is carried by the frame of the machine and is adapted to present the sheeting 56 and the rubber 55 into contact with the lower a reinforcement, although it is again emphasized with respect to the beads.

portion of the block 62, all as well illustrated in Figure 8.

The upholstery material I6 is advanced over the plurality of ridge members 35, thus providing pleat fullness for the reception of the padding material. This arrangement of parts is well illustrated in Figure 4 in which the cover fabric I is shown as formed upwardly over the ridge members and abutting the lower edge of the plates 64. The rubber 55, as seen in this figure, is thus retained in an enclosed chamber defined on two sides by the plates 54, on the bottom by the cover fabric 55, and on top by the sheeting 55. The plates 64 are formed around the roll 65 and terminate as close as possible to the point of tangency between the roll 56 and heated drum H.

In Figure 5 I have illustrated the relationship of parts on the section line 55, Figure 3. It will be noted that the forming band 72 has come into contact with the cover fabric l5 and has pressed the cover fabric against the rubber 55. The sheeting 56 is at this time still in contact with the upper surface of the plates 54.

The forming band 12 presses the upholstery fabric firmly against the heating roll I! as soon as permitted to do so by the termination of the plates 54. The plates B terminate substantially at the point Where the forming band 12 forces the fabric 15 and the rubber against the roll. It also, as will be readily apparent, forces the rubber firmly into contact with the sheeting 5B. As indicated in Figure 6, as soon as the forming band has insured intimate contact between the cover 56, the sheeting 55, and the rubber 55, it

is no longer necessary to mechanically prevent the padding material 54 from moving toward the zone to be occupied by the Vulcanized seam. In fact it is desirable that the fibrous material be permitted to completely fill the pipes between adjacent seams.

In Figure 6 I have illustrated the pipe when the forming band 72 applies its pressure to the deformable material 55. As best seen in this figure, the deformable material, such as rubber, is

largely displaced from beneath the forming band I2 and is caused to form into risers adjacent thereto. In this figure I have illustrated the use of a single simple forming band, although as previously stated the forming band may be of widely differing ornamental designs. Due to the pressure applied by the forming band, the vulcanized bond directly beneath the band is of a high tensile strength, and at the same time the pressure of the band displaces rubber or other material, if employed, to a sufficient extent to form relatively high riser portions at the sides of the forming bands.

The complete cushion 85 is illustrated in Figure 8, in which the upholstery fabric is provided with a sheeting SI and intermediate padding material, such for example as cotton 82. In place of the conventional sewed seams, I secure the upholstery fabric to the sheeting 8| by means of a vulcanized bond, produced through the medi um of a thin strip of rubber 83. The upholstery fabric is thus vulcanized to the sheeting 8! throughout a substantial width and entirely across the completed cushion. At 84 I have shown one design which can be formed by the present method. This design comprises a pair of lines of beads, and in this figure I have also indicated a line of sewing symmetrically located This line of sewin may or may not be provided.

At 85 I have indicated a somewhat different design comprising a single row of elongated beads extending generally transversely across the V111- canized seam. In this instance it willbe noted that two rows of sewed seams are provided. At 86 I have indicated a somewhat different design in which the vulcanized seam is decorated by means of a continuous zigzag raised portion. As will be understood, in any of the foregoing cases the sewing may, if desired, be combined with the vulcanized seam or, if preferred, may be omitted.

The apparatus described herein lends itself particularly well to the practice of the novel method herein disclosed, for the continuous, rapid and economical manufacture of upholstery material characterized by the use of vulcanized seams. While I have illustrated throughout a substantially completely automatic mechanism for carrying out my process, it will be appreciated that the process itself may be carried out with widely different apparatus or, if desired, may be practiced largely by hand or by manually controlled mechanism.

While I have illustrated and described several specific embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various additions, modifications, omissions, combinations and substitutions may be made which will be within the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The method of manufacturing stuffed pleated upholstery which comprises continuously advancing spaced cover fabrics, forming said cover fabrics as they advance to provide pleat fullness; advancing batts into registry with the pleat fullness provided; breaking said batts intermediate said cover fabrics; definitely retaining said batts in laterally spaced relation; applying strips of uncured, soft rubber between said batts; advancing sheeting in relation to receive said batts and rubber between said sheeting and said fabrics; progressively terminating the definite separation of said batts and substantially simultaneously compressing said sheeting and fabrics against said rubber and vulcanizing said rubber.

2. The method of manufacturing stuffed pleated upholstery which comprises continuously advancing a cover fabric, forming said cover fabric as it advances to provide pleat fullness; advancing batts into registry with the pleat fullness provided; breaking said batts intermediate said cover fabric; definitely retaining said batts in laterally spaced relation; applying strips of uncured, soft rubber between said batts; advancing sheeting in relation to receive said batts and rubber between said sheeting and said fabric; progressively terminating the definite separation of said batts and substantially simultaneously compressing said sheeting and fabric against said rubber and vulcanizing said rubber.

3. The method of manufacturing stuffed pleated upholstery which comprises continuously advancing spaced cover fabrics, forming said cover fabrics as they advance to provide pleat fullness; advancing batts into registry with the pleat fullness provided; breaking said batts intermediate said cover fabrics; definitely retaining said batts in laterally spaced relation; applying strips of soft, uncured rubber between said batts; advancing sheeting in relation to receive said batts and rubber between said sheeting and said fabrics, progressively terminating the definite separation. of said batts and substantially simultaneously compressing said sheeting and fabrics against said rubber and vulcanizing said rubber.

4. The method of making stuffed pleated upholstery which comprises assembling a cover fabric and sheeting with interleaved batts and strips of uncured rubber stock intermediate said batts, advancing the assembly past relatively fixed separators, adapted to retain said batts and rubber strips separated laterally, into contact with a heated roll, and applying pressure to said assembly along the lines of said rubber stock substantially as said assembly passes said separators.

5. The method of making stufied pleated upholstery which comprises assembling a cover fabric and sheeting with interleaved batts, advancing the assembly past relatively fixed separators adapted to retain said batts separated laterally into contact with a heated roll, advancing a strip of uncured rubber stock through said separators into position between said fabric and sheeting, and between said laterally separated batts, and applying pressure to said assembly along the lines of said rubber stock substantially as said assembly passes said separaters.

6. The method of making stufied, pleated upholstery which comprises continuously advancing into assembled relation an outer cover fabric, an inner structure comprising separate batts and continuous strips of uncured rubber in laterally alternating relation, and a second outer sheeting on the opposite side of said assembly from said cover fabric, providing positive separation between said batts and said strips of rubber to prevent encroachment of said batts on said rubher during further advance of said assembly, pressing said cover fabric into firm engagement with said strips of rubber and thereby pressing said rubber firmly against said sheeting, and substantially simultaneously terminating said positive separation between said batts and said strips of rubber.

7. The method of making stuffed, pleated upholstery which comprises continuously advancing into assembled relation an outer cover fabric, an inner structure comprising separate batts and continuous strips of uncured rubber in laterally alternating relation, and a second outer sheeting on the opposite side of said assembly from said cover fabric, providing positive separation between said batts and said strips of rubber to prevent encroachment of said batts on said rubber during further advance of said assembly, pressing said cover fabric into firm engagement with said strips of rubber and thereby pressing said rubber firmly against said sheeting, substantially simultaneously terminating said positive separation between said batts and said strips of rubber, and heating said rubber to vulcanize the same while continuing the application of pressure.

8. In a method of making stuffed, pleated upholstery, the steps which comprise advancing continuous strips of narrow batting in laterally spaced relation, advancing continuous strips of uncured rubber into the spaces between said batts, positively retaining said batts against encroachment on said strips of rubber, advancing a sheeting and cover fabric into contact with opposite sides of said batts, progressively pressing said sheeting and cover fabric into firm, direct contact with said strips of rubber, and substantially simultaneously terminating said positive retention of said batts against encroachment on said strips of rubber.

JOHN R. MILLAR. 

